Is Colorado Springs a food desert?

Is Colorado Springs a food desert?

According to the USDA, most of Colorado Springs south of East Platte Avenue and east of Interstate 25 is considered a food desert, meaning it does not have easy access to fresh food.

Are there food deserts in Colorado?

Almost all of Logan County, portions of Morgan County, places like Wray and Yuma and a large portion of Kit Carson County all in Northeast Colorado are defined by the USDA report as food deserts. A majority of Southeastern Colorado, from Pueblo to the east, including Lamar, is considered a food desert by the report.

Where are most food deserts located?

The report also notes that rural areas located in the West, Midwest, and South of the U.S. are much more likely to be food deserts than rural areas located in the Northeast. This may be because rural areas in the Northeast tend to be closer to urban areas containing grocery stores.

What is considered a food desert?

“Food deserts” are geographic areas where access to affordable, healthy food options (aka fresh fruits and veggies) is limited or nonexistent because grocery stores are too far away. About 23.5 million people live in food deserts. Nearly half of them are also low-income.

Is Denver a food desert?

In conclusion, there are no food deserts in the city of Denver.

Do food deserts only exist in urban areas?

These stores very rarely have fresh produce and non-processed food options. Unfortunately, food deserts are not only a problem in the urban areas of America’s cities. Over 80% of counties with the highest percentage of kids at risk for food insecurity are rural.

Which state has the most food deserts?

The States with the Most Food Deserts The places with the most food deserts in low-income areas were Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. In the top state, Rhode Island, a staggering 91% of low-income areas had low supermarket access.

How do I know if I live in a food desert?

In the Food Desert Locator developed by USDA’s Economic Research Service, a food desert census tract is defined as a low-income tract where a substantial number or substantial share of residents does not have easy access to a supermarket or large grocery store.

Where do food deserts exist?

Twenty percent of rural areas in the U.S. are classified as food deserts. There are small areas within each state in the U.S. that are classified as rural food deserts, but they occur most prominently in the Midwest Within these counties, approximately 2.4 million individuals have low access to a large supermarket.

How many food deserts are in Denver?

14 food deserts
Ruehrdanz said there are 14 food deserts in Denver. The map pictured below from Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) highlights the areas in the metro area that have limited food access. Any Street Grocery is targeting those neighborhoods like Montbello and Green Valley.

Can food deserts be in rural areas?

Many rural areas lack food retailers and are considered food deserts: areas with limited supplies of fresh, affordable foods. Ironically, some of these food deserts are in areas where farming is important to the local economy.

Why do food deserts still exist?

Even with the abundance of stores and services in major cities, food deserts still may exist due to the lack of income by customers to purchase healthy food. This makes food deserts an issue that isn’t necessarily restricted to rural or low-population areas.